Television receivers (televisors), video cassette recorders (VCR), cable converters, satellite receivers, compact disk music systems, digitally tuned radios and other consumer oriented entertainment apparatus commonly include provision for a remote controlled operation of tuning and other functions to afford an additional level of convenience for the user. Typically, a station channel selection for a television station or a radio is entered using a portable hand-held remote controller. In the usual arrangement, the channel number (or xe2x80x9cdial settingxe2x80x9d) is keyed into a handheld keypad digit-by-digit while the remote controller is necessarily aimed directly at the remotely controlled televisor.
Remote volume control and mute is another feature which is ordinarily provided in remote controllers for televisors, radios and similar entertainment equipment. Typically, the mute button simply toggles the sound on and off (i.e., between a normal level and a sub-audible level) on the controlled televisor or other device.
Nearly all remote control interfaces of this type utilize encoded infrared light beam coupling, which infers that the remotely controlled televisor, radio or other device must be within a direct line-of-sight of the handheld remote controller device.
The ordinary handheld remote controller must also be aimed at a specific area (or xe2x80x9creceptor zonexe2x80x9d) of the televisor or radio in order to operate reliably. The location on the face side of the televisor or other device where the usual photoreceptor is sited is obviously the optimal location for aiming. No intervening furniture or decorating accessories may be allowed to block the line-of-sight extension between the controller and the remotely controlled televisor, radio tuner, CD-player or other device in order to obtain consistent operation.
When a single-digit channel number (e.g., any channel 2 through 9) is selected for by a television signal receiver for viewing on a televisor, it is necessitous to enter the selection as a two digit value. In other words, a leading zero must be entered before the actual single-digit number value. For example, to tune to channel 7 the user must key in the values 0 and 7 in sequence. Failure to enter the mandatory 0 causes failure of the intended channel change function.
Often following a pressing of the desired channel number keybutton, such as the mentioned digit key 7, the user realizes in afterthought that a 0 is also needed and that he/she should have entered 07. In a sort of subliminal panic, the user often makes the mistake of punching in the 0 in haste. The mistaken result is that the television set switches to channel 70 instead of channel 7. For elderly, medicated, intoxicated or infirm users this can lead to confusion and an obvious necessity for repeating the whole channel selection process, hopefully without failing to key in the necessary leading zero.
When the MUTE button is pressed on an ordinary remote controller, the remotely controlled televisor or radio is typically toggled between a preset sound level and a quiet (i.e., no sound) level. To achieve merely lowering the sound requires use of the xe2x80x9cdownxe2x80x9d volume control button, entering a series of down-steps. This lowering is a desirable condition for any of several reasons, including:
lowering sound level during commercials to reduce annoyance factor while still enabling some viewers to hear the commercial, or to be able to hear when the commercial ends and programming restarts;
lowering sound level during a telephone call or when answering a door;
lowering sound level in deference to a conversation with others; and,
lowering sound level during a particularly annoying, distasteful, or pandemoniacal portion of a movie or other program.
An xe2x80x9cONE FOR(trademark)xe2x80x9d model URC-4060 handheld remote controller apparatus manufactured by Universal Electronics, Twinsburg, Ohio is an excellent example of a modern (e.g., current-art) multi-option remote controller device offering numerous features which enhance its usability, convenience and flexibility for a capable user. This particular remote controller device is intended for use with up to four distinctly different types of remote controlled apparatus, such as a televisor, VCR, cable converter, and satellite receiver. As a convenience, this remote controller is provided with xe2x80x9cnumeral shapedxe2x80x9d keys for channel selection. The keytops glow in the dark, and the channel UP/DOWN and volume UP/DOWN control buttons are arranged logically in a circle, with a centric xe2x80x9csound mutexe2x80x9d button location.
A RadioShack (Ft. Worth, Tex.) model 15-1911TN (or model 15-1917TN) is another example of a commercially successful xe2x80x9c4-in-1 remote controlxe2x80x9d which electively controls a televisor, VCR, Cable box or an auxiliary device. Looking at the control panel portion of this unit reveals the usual array of keybutton control functions, including volume up/down, channel up/down, numerical keys, power, mute, etc.
I particularly refer to a televisor as a composite apparatus having a provision for tuning to any one of a plurality of incoming television signals represented as established TV channels (most commonly, at least channels 2 through 82) and providing display of the incoming television signal on a cathode ray tube or an equivalent viewing device. I further refer to a television signal receiver as any of a variety of devices including cable boxes, video cassette recorders (VCR), satellite receivers and TV channel converters which have a capability for receiving any number of the established TV channels and converting them into an interface channel signal at an output which is usually signal interfaced with the televisor. Usually this interface utilizes channel 3 or channel 4. The television signal receivers do not necessarily have provision for directly viewing the received television signal, but rather they down-convert to the channel 3 (or channel 4) for interface feed to the televisor for viewing.
A commonplace hookup using a cable box for example, is to couple the incoming signal cable from the cable company such as Media One, Continental Cablevision, TCI, etc. to an input of the cable box. The typical cable box includes an output jack to which a short length of coaxial cable connects, with the other end connected to a corresponding input jack on the televisor. When the cable box and the televisor are operating in concert, the televisor is ordinarily set to channel 3 or channel 4. The cable box includes a television signal receiver which can be set to any incoming television channel delivered by the cable company. Typically, the cable box tunes between channel 2 upwards through channel 60, or more depending upon availability in any given service area. The cable box down converts the selected incoming cable channel to a channel 3 or channel 4 output suitable for the televisor acceptance. The typical cable box may include other functions, such as a descrambler provision for pay-per-view programs, etc. all of which are ultimately made available over the channel 3 or channel 4 output jack interface, therefrom coupling with the televisor.
My invention pertains to hand held, portable remote control devices which are frequently utilized to turn primary power xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d, change television channel or radio station selections, reset volume levels and perform other task options on entertainment apparatus. Such apparatus may broadly include television receivers (televisors), radios, video cassette recorders, video disk players, cable converter boxes, satellite television signal receivers, and similar consumer electronics equipment.
Existing commercial handheld remote controllers for commanding remote TV channel or radio station selection utilize a keypad into which a succession of individual number digits must be entered, ordinarily in a quick succession. Hesitation between entering a first digit and a second digit may result in an erroneous or failed entry since the usual remotely controlled televisor or radio tuner simply times-out if the entry sequence is not completed fast enough. In the typical televisor or similar apparatus, this timeout usually occurs within about five seconds. This intrinsic time-out is not a fault or shortfall of the remote controller, but rather it rests in the intentional and intrinsic hardware design aspects of the controlled televisor, VCR, etc. As an unfortunate result of this time-out feature, the maker of the usual hand-held remote controller is frequently blamed for a perceived time-out problem which is in fact not of his making, but rests in the intrinsic design of the controlled televisor or other device.
Virtually all contemporary remote control schemes utilize a similar wireless intercoupling principal, that of sending a uniquely encoded pulsed infra-red light beam between the hand held device and a photoreceptor integral with the distal televisor, VCR, cable converter, satellite dish receiver, etc. The art-form defining the characteristics of the encoded pulsed light beam has been around for a long time and has been shown to perform reliably in many millions of televisors and other electronic devices. Motorola and other manufacturers produce application specific integrated circuits (such as the well known MC14457P and MC145026) which are ordinarily intended for the encoding and modulation of wireless transmissions.
What is occurring is a general aging of the population at large. More and more people every day are reaching a point where the xe2x80x9cbells and whistlesxe2x80x9d features typical of contemporary remote controllers are no longer viable and useful. As a result, people are prematurely made to feel incapable or like jerks when they try to merely change stations on their televisor, or perform other remote control tasks which seem trivial to a younger person. Entering two or more keypad commands while holding the remote controller in necessitous alignment with the distant televisor or radio can become a nigh impossible task.
Most portable remote controllers are functionally alike. It is only a refinement of relatively trivial implementation details which vary. For example, some controllers sport keys shaped like numbers which are obviously easier to see in dim light than plain round keys. More recently, manufacturers have implemented back-lit or glow-in-the-dark keyboard layouts to enhance dim light visibility. A rearrangement of keyboards is a more recent phenomenon, where the channel UP/DOWN and volume INCREASE/DECREASE keys have been placed in a circular arrangement to assist in tactile association. Unfortunately, the layout still varies between makers and the result is unnecessary confusion, particularly in a dimly lit room.
My invention focuses on reducing a remote controller""s keypad entry requirements when used with a usual type of remotely controlled televisor, radio or similar apparatus. Simplification of an operative sequence of keybutton entries is a primary goal. A less frustrating usage of the remote controller by persons experiencing decreased dexterity, due to aging, physical disability, medication effects, or intoxication is another goal.
When a single channel number selection such as for channel 8 is desired, my invention allows the user to simply enter the keybutton 8. Upon sending the remote control command to the televisor, a 0 is automatically inserted as a prefix resulting in the necessitous 08 being sent to the televisor. This feature is accomplished by holding the keybutton 8 for a longer than usual period of time, for example 3 seconds, whereupon the entry is self-recognized as probably being a single-digit entry and the 0 is prefixed creating a progeny value of 08 before dispatch.
An alternative approach to the maintained keybutton approach is also included in my invention, either as a combined feature with the maintained keybutton response, or as a stand-alone feature. When the user desires to switch-to a single digit channel, such as channel 7, it is not unusual for the user to merely forget to prefix with a zero and directly enter the channel number digit. In the prior art, this spoils the channel number entry.
In my invention, upon realizing that the channel number digit has been entered erroneously without the prefix 0 can be immediately corrected by pressing an indicia key, for example a separate asterisk (or star) key. It is the unique function of this conjoinedly entered ersatz indicia key to effectively correct the entry by prefixing a 0 to the encoded signal thereby creating the progeny value 07 prior to a trajection of the wireless signal to the remotely controlled device.
I allow further latitude in operation of my remote controller when it comes to single channel selection by inserting a prefixal 0 to the single channel digit whenever the ersatz (asterisk or star) keybutton is pressed (entered) just prior to or immediately subsequent to the single channel number entry. In other words either an entry *7 or an entry 7* will result in a dispatched signal correctly encoded with two digits 07 to enable proper remote control of the distant device, such as a televisor or cable box. I call this an adjunctive or conjoined entry when he ersatz keypress occurs just prior to or just following the single channel number entry with the same result in prefixing the single channel number value with a zero.
A typical cable converter, satellite receiver, or VCR usually calls for the attached televisor to be set to an intermediate or xe2x80x9cbasexe2x80x9d channel 3 or channel 4 for proper operation. I find that great advantage is served in a sense of convenience and relative with reducing operational confusion if the controlled televisor is automatically sent a base channel 3 (or channel 4) selection signal each time a remote control command is sent to the cable converter, satellite receiver, or VCR. In other words, any activity directed to any one of these accessory television signal receiver devices initiates a signal which reiteratively selects the intermediate or interface base channel, e.g. usually TV channel 3 or 4 on the televisor.
When a channel selection is entered through a sequence of user actuated keypress entries a numerical display appears to confirm the choices to the user. For example, if the user wants to select channel 23 and inadvertently enters a 1 instead of a 2, it will appear on the display with the result that the user may be able to correct the error before sending it to the controlled televisor. Correction may be accomplished by pressing a CLEAR or REDO keybutton, or if the remote controller is not equipped with the CLEAR capability, the remote controller may simply be aimed away from the televisor in order to purge the incorrect entry.
In contemporary remote controllers, a MUTE keybutton simply cuts-off the audio. In other words, the sound from a controlled televisor or radio is either full level set-volume, or silent. My invention introduces a partial mute, or what I prefer to call a xe2x80x9chushxe2x80x9d mode where the full level set-volume is reduced to a lower level, but not cut-off. To be compatible with conventional designs, my invention establishes two volume levels which have a determinable number of xe2x80x9cstepsxe2x80x9d above the minimum or zero volume level.
In one embodiment for my invention and when normal or un-mute audio volume is selected, a string of xe2x80x9creduce volumexe2x80x9d encoded step-pulses are sent to the controlled device (e.g., televisor, radio, etc.) which essentially reduces the volume to a nil level. The number of step-pulses is predetermined to unconditionally exceed the maximum number necessary to reduce the volume from its highest possible level to the nil level, while the periodicity with which the pulses are sent to the controlled device is predetermined to be within the acceptable rate of the controlled device. Immediately upon completion of sending the string of reduce-volume step-pulses, the volume adjust pattern reverses and a predetermined number of xe2x80x9cincrease volumexe2x80x9d encoded step-pulses are immediately sent to the controlled device in order to lift the volume level up to a predetermined xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d level. This normal level is user presettable and resettable.
When the HUSH keybutton is actuated, a preset number of xe2x80x9cdecrease volumexe2x80x9d encoded step-pulses are sent to the controlled device which serve to reduce the sound volume from the xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d level to a predetermined xe2x80x9cless loudxe2x80x9d volume level.
In another embodiment, the volume is set by the user to a desired level and when xe2x80x9chushxe2x80x9d is entered, the volume steps-down a predetermined number of steps thus lowering the volume. When the hush mode is canceled the volume increases by the same number of steps to return the volume to its normal level.
When a user changes channels on a typical televisor, it is not uncommon that the next channel xe2x80x9cblasts-inxe2x80x9d with needlessly loud programming. This state of affairs is particularly apt to occur when station switching (or so-called channel surfing) takes place between dissimilar programs on different channels. The result is a loud, raucous and discordant commotion which is at the very least disturbing and annoying for the viewer, and at worst serves to disturb others (for example children who may be sleeping nearby).
I show that a moderated hush signal is automatically sent to the televisor whenever channels are changed. The sound level is subsequently lowered by a predetermined extent to thwart the dismayful racket which may otherwise follow the channel change.
Ordinary televisor remote controllers of the ubiquitous xe2x80x9cuniversalxe2x80x9d type usually provide a device selection mode for operation for two or more separate devices. A most common arrangement is operating the televisor in conjunction with a cable box. In this hookup, the televisor is ordinarily maintained tuned to channel 3 (or channel 4), whilst the cable box is utilized to xe2x80x9ctunexe2x80x9d the desired channels. Typically this may include channels 2 up through channel 80, or 132 or higher. Usually a keybutton and sometimes a switch on the handheld remote controller is utilized to select between the televisor mode and the cable box mode. Up until about a decade ago a televisor could be plugged into an auxiliary power outlet on the back of the cable box and turning the cable box xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d would result in turning the televisor xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d. With the advent of remotely controlled push-button activated power control for televisors using latching relays or the like, it has become impossible to turn the televisor xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d without actually entering a xe2x80x9ctv-onxe2x80x9d signal command from the remote control (or else by pushing a momentary power-on button on the televisor frontispiece). When a contemporary remote controller is used, it may have a Televisor mode and a Cable Box mode which generally follow function states in accord with this listing:
As this tabulation of mode states indicates, power on/off is transferred back and forth between the televisor and the Cable Box. Typical modern televisors and cable boxes have xe2x80x9clatchingxe2x80x9d or intermittently commanded power on/off action, usually using a holding relay or the like. Ordinarily this mode of operation is known as a toggled control action. This means a discrete power command has to be sent to the televisor to turn it xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d. With usual remote controls, once the televisor mode is left and the Cable Box mode is entered, the televisor can not be turned xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d without intentionally re-entering the televisor mode. This is at best an inconvenience, taking for example a cold start turn-on of a televisor with a cable box, the steps for which may include:
1. Press TELEVISOR mode button.
2. Press POWER button to turn Televisor xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d.
3. Press CABLE BOX mode button.
4. Press POWER button to turn Cable Box xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d.
5. Press CHANNEL number (or up/down) selection.
6. Press VOLUME UP or DOWN to set Televisor volume.
And subsequently to turn televisor OFF, the additional steps are:
7. Press TELEVISOR Mode button.
8. Press POWER button to turn Televisor xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d.
With my invention, I overcome this necessity for returning to the televisor mode in order to toggle the televisor xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d. In other words, the remote controller may be kept in the Cable Box mode without resorting to the televisor mode when toggling the televisor xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d. In one practicable embodiment for my invention, an additional dedicated AUXILIARY POWER button is provided which is capable of toggling the cable box xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d, while the main POWER button continues to toggle the televisor xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d in any mode.
Further convenience and flexibility for a user is provided through including an ability for selecting which device will be controlled by the main POWER button. By pressing and holding the device selection keybutton for an interval of time during which the main POWER button is briefly pressed, the main POWER function is assigned or reassigned to the device represented by the device selection keybutton.
As a result, the user may make up his/her own control combination.
For mere example, the main POWER control may be assigned to the televisor using the just mentioned technique, while the AUXILIARY POWER button controls any one of several devices that may be under immediate command as determined by the device selection keybutton. In a xe2x80x9c4 in 1xe2x80x9d controller, for example, the main POWER button may control the televisor while the AUXILIARY POWER button controls any one of three other devices, such as a VCR, cable box, or video disk player.
A most novel object for my invention is to enable single channel number (e.g., channels 2-9) selection without requiring the precursor xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d to be entered by the user as is typical of prior art.
A further aspect of single channel number selection afforded by my invention is to utilize a non-numerical ersatz key such as a xe2x80x9cstarxe2x80x9d (or asterisk) keybutton xe2x80x9c*xe2x80x9d pressed either before or after entry of a single numerical key selection the purpose for which is to automatically prefix a zero to the submitted channel selection signal.
An important goal of my invention is to automatically normalize the remotely controlled televisor by sending a reiterant precursor channel change instruction to the tuner of the televisor to reset or reaffirm the channel setting of the televisor to a predetermined channel, such as 3 or 4, whenever any command is otherwise sent to a peripheral device, such as a VCR, cable converter or satellite receiver.
A further intention of my invention is to provide sundry users with a simplified level of remote controller operation in a conventional environment where a TV set is used in conjunction with a VCR, cable converter, or satellite receiver. Remote AC electric power xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d control of the TV set is maintained as the primary remote controller POWER button command, even when the remote controller mode is changed to the peripheral device, such as the set-top cable converter.
An aspect of my invention pertains to allow a predetermined extent of audio volume reduction and alternatively of audio volume recovery of a remotely controlled televisor utilizing a user operable partial-mute or HUSH keybutton on the remote controller keypad.
A resulting objective of my invention is to quiet the noise emanating from a televisor when channels are switched.